Agoracom Blog

Elon Musk: One of The Most Exciting Days in Tesla History is Coming – Hints At ‘Terafactory’ – SPONSOR: Lomiko Metals $LMR.ca $CJC.ca $SRG.ca $NGC.ca $LLG.ca $GPH.ca $NOU.ca

Posted by AGORACOM at 11:48 AM on Friday, May 1st, 2020

SPONSOR: Lomiko Metals is focused on the exploration and development of minerals for the new green economy such as lithium and graphite. Lomiko owns 80% of the high-grade La Loutre graphite Property, Lac Des Iles Graphite Property and the 100% owned Quatre Milles Graphite Property. Lomiko is uniquely poised to supply the growing EV battery market. Click Here For More Information

Elon Musk is hyping Tesla’s upcoming Battery Day – saying that it will be “one of the most exciting days in Tesla history” and hinting at a ‘Terafactory’ announcement.

Last year, Musk said that Cybertruck is Tesla’s last product unveil for “a while,” but he teased some upcoming tech announcements.

Those announcements were expected to happen at what Tesla has been referring to as “Powertrain and Battery Investor Day.”

Much like the “Autonomy Day” that happened last year, Tesla said that it is planning to give presentations to investors, which are livestreamed, about the automaker’s latest development in powertrains and battery technology.

Later, Musk referred to the event as â€œTesla April company talk” and said that it will be held at Gigafactory New York, where Tesla plans to offer media and investors tours of the facility.

Earlier this month, Musk updated Tesla’s upcoming event to add that it will focus just on batteries and not powertrain.

During a conference call following Tesla’s Q1 2020 results yesterday, Musk was asked about the Battery Day.

The CEO said:

“Yes. Actually, we don’t want to preempt Battery Day. We want to leave the exciting news for that day, but there will be a lot of exciting news to tell. And I think it would be one of the most exciting days in Tesla’s history and we’re just trying to figure out the right timing for that.”

Musk gave a hint later in the call when he talked about Tesla’s next factories becoming “Terafactories”.

When announcing the first Gigafactory, Tesla decided to call it that because it was going to produce ‘gigawatt-hours’ (GWh) in battery capacity.

A ‘Terafactory’ could be producing over a terawatt-hour of battery capacity, which is 1,000 GWh or about 20 times the current capacity of Panasonic’s production at Gigafactory Nevada and several times the world’s production for EV batteries.

As we previously reported, Electrek revealed that Tesla will present the result of its internal secret Roadrunner project at the battery event.

The goal is for Tesla to produce its own battery cells using technologies developed by Tesla’s internal teams, including work from its research lab in Canada led by Jeff Dahn, and new technologies recently acquired through the acquisition of Maxwell, on a massive scale and at a cost below $100 per kWh.

Musk said that Tesla is aiming for the event to be held the third week of May:

“We think probably the right timing will be probably the third week of May. Not giving a firm date, but we think that probably that’s the right timing. And depending upon what we’re allowed to do, it will either be in California or Texas.”

It will put the event between May 17-23.

Electrek’s Take

On top of the actual new cells and production system developed under Roadrunner, I think Tesla is going to announce a location to produce over 1 terawatt-hour of battery cells.

The fact that Elon mentioned California or Texas might lead people to think that the factory is going to be at one of those locations, but I wouldn’t be so quick to jump to that conclusion.

The event was first supposed to happen in Gigafactory New York, but I think he doesn’t believe any event is going to be able to be held in NY next month.

California is where Tesla is based and where the automaker is running its pilot production line for the Roadrunner battery cells and Texas is where Elon is based right now for SpaceX work and also where restrictions are being relaxed.

I am not saying that it’s not possible Tesla might announce a deal for a factory in Texas at the event, but I am just saying that it’s not a done deal just because he mentioned the state.

Source: https://electrek.co/2020/04/30/elon-musk-tesla-battery-day-terafactory/

Bot or not? #AI looks at #Twitter behavior to sort real accounts from fake – SPONSOR: Datametrex AI Limited $DM.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 5:20 PM on Thursday, April 30th, 2020

SPONSOR: Datametrex AI Limited (TSX-V: DM) A revenue generating small cap A.I. company that NATO and Canadian Defence are using to fight fake news & social media threats. The company is working with US Government agencies on Covid19 and Coronavirus fake news and disinformation. The company also obtained the rights to import and sell COVID-19 test kits from South Korea – Click here for more info.

Bot or not? A.I. looks at Twitter behavior to sort real accounts from fake

  • For the past several years, there’s been heightened concern about the impact of so-called bots on platforms like Twitter
  • A bot in this context is a fake account synonymous with helping to spread fake news or misinformation online

By: Brinkwire

For the past several years, there’s been heightened concern about the impact of so-called bots on platforms like Twitter. A bot in this context is a fake account synonymous with helping to spread fake news or misinformation online. But how exactly do you tell the difference between an actual human user and a bot? While clues such as the use of the basic default “egg” avatar, a username consisting of long strings of numbers, and a penchant for tweeting about certain topics might provide a few pointers, that’s hardly conclusive evidence.

That’s the challenge a recent project from a pair of researchers at the University of Southern California and University of London set out to solve. They have created an A.I. that’s designed to sort fake Twitter accounts from the real deal, based on their patterns of online behavior.

“Detecting bots can be very challenging as they continuously evolve and become more sophisticated,” Emilio Ferrara, research assistant professor in the USC Department of Computer Science, told Digital Trends. “Existing tools that work well with older and simpler types of bots are not as accurate to predict more complex ones. So it’s always exciting to identify new, previously unknown characteristics of the behavior of human users that are not yet exhibited by bots. This could [be used to help] improve the accuracy of detection tools.”

The researchers leveraged various datasets of hand-labeled examples of both fake and real Twitter account messages, produced by other researchers in the community. In total, they trained their system on 8.4 million tweets from 3,500 human accounts and an additional 3.4 million tweets from 5,000 bots. This helped them to uncover a variety of insights into tweeting patterns. For instance, human users are up to five times more likely to reply to messages. They also get increasingly interactive with other users over the course of a long Twitter session, while the length of an average tweet decreases during this same time frame. Bots, on the other hand, show no such changes.

But don’t expect this work to be the definitive lasting word in this field. Just like the cat-and-mouse game between software companies and hackers, whereby one group tries to close vulnerabilities and the other works to find new ones, the field of bot discovery will continue to develop.

“These findings will inform future bot detection tools,” Ferrara said. “However, we expect that bot-making tools will see these findings as well, so it will be interesting to see when — or how soon — some of the open-source bot-making tools that are available online will adjust to reflect the human behavioral trends that we discovered.”

A paper describing the work was recently published in the journal Frontiers in Physics.

Source: https://en.brinkwire.com/news/bot-or-not-a-i-looks-at-twitter-behavior-to-sort-real-accounts-from-fake/

Data shows how demand is growing for global hybrid tech sectors – SPONSOR: BetterU Education Corp. $BTRU.ca $ARCL $CPLA $BPI $FC.ca #Edtech

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 5:04 PM on Thursday, April 30th, 2020

SPONSOR:  BetterU Education Corp. aims to provide access to quality education from around the world. The company plans to bridge the prevailing gap in the education and job industry and enhance the lives of its prospective learners by developing an integrated ecosystem. betterU / Ottolearn launch FREE COVID-19 mobile resource toolkit to fight the global crisis – Click here for more information.

Data shows how demand is growing for global hybrid tech sectors

  • The impact of COVID-19 is reshaping business practices and one example of this is with the growth of organizations in the hybrid technology sector. Examples include Edtech, Healthtech, Agritech, and Commstech.

By Tim Sandle 

It is expected by some commentators that the current climate, where more business activities have been forced to go online and expand their digital offerings in order to survive, will create new generation of tech-savvy, entrepreneurial professionals with a ‘start-up mindset’  

For example, job roles within tech increased have increased by 40 percent in the first third of the year thanks to a surge in-demand within the ‘hybrid-tech sector’ – including fintech, edtech, healthtech, and agritech. These data are based on evidence compiled by global recruiter Robert Walters.   Further evidence can be drawn from a TechNation report which has looked at the performance of the UK, which is becoming Europe’s top scaling tech nation, with a record £10.1 billion in investment made in 2019. This means that inward investment for the UK’s technology sector is similar to that of China, with both nations standing second to the U.S.  

The types of ‘in demand jobs’ in relation to this realignment of digital transformation strategy include:

1. Data Scientists

2. Software Engineers

3. UX & UI Specialists

4. Product Specialists

5. Go to Market Executives  

Interviewed by Startups Magazine, Tom Chambers, Senior Manager – Technology at Robert Walters, says in relation to the performance of the UK: “In the last few years, tech start-ups and scaleups have received a notable amount of funding, and in the last few weeks alone we have seen government (as well as venture capitalists) allocate more funding towards high demand industries.”  

With reference to the atypical situation driven by the coronavirus pandemic, Chambers adds: “The current climate will be a hotbed for tech-savvy, entrepreneurial minds to launch or grow their business. These individuals may have no training at all in medicine, farming, or education, but bring expertise in data science and analytics, computing and behavioural economics.”  

An example of this is with the UK edtech market. The value of this industry was anticipated to reach £3.4 billion by 2021 (as a proportion of the £100 billion UK education market), based on data reviewed by The Financial Times. This market value is now poised to be much higher in light of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/business/data-shows-how-demand-is-growing-for-global-hybrid-tech-sectors/article/570881#ixzz6L76vejvc

Empower Clinics $CBDT.ca Confirms Phase One and Phase Two Corona Virus #COVID19 Antibody Testing is Underway and Provides Updates on Timing of Fourth Quarter and Annual Financial Results $WEED.ca $CGC $ACB $APH $CRON.ca $OGI.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 3:55 PM on Thursday, April 30th, 2020
  • Empower confirms it has commenced COVID-19 antibody testing in clinics under the phase one and phase two rollout plans,
  • Received first Rapid COVID-19 test kits and places additional purchases of Rapid COVID-19 test kits

VANCOUVER, BC / April 29, 2020 / EMPOWER CLINICS INC. (CSE:CBDT)(OTCQB:EPWCF)(Frankfurt:8EC) (“Empower” or the “Company“), a vertically integrated life sciences company, is pleased to announce it is actively testing patients using COVID-19 antibody testing under its phase one and phase two rollout plans in its Sun Valley Health clinics in Phoenix, AZ. The Company has also received its first Rapid COVID-19 antibody test kits and has purchased additional Rapid test kits to start meeting testing demand. The Company also provides an update on the timing of the release of its financial results and associated filings for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended December 31, 2019.

The Company is utilizing the temporary relief exemption provided by the Ontario Securities Commission under Ontario Instrument 51-502 – Temporary Exemption from Certain Corporate Finance Requirements (the “Instrument“), which provides a 45-day extension for periodic filings, including annual audited financial statements, as required by section 4.1(2) of National Instrument 51-102 – Continuous Disclosure Obligations, and related management’s discussion and analysis and CEO and CFO certifications (collectively, the “Annual Filings“), for the year ended December 31, 2019.

In accordance with the Instrument, the Company intends to file its Annual Filings no later than the extended deadline, as permitted under the Instrument, of June 15, 2020.

Until the Company has filed the Annual Filings, the Company confirms that its management and other insiders are subject to a trading blackout that reflects the principles in section 9 of National Policy 11-207 Failure-to-File Cease Trade Orders and Revocations in Multiple Jurisdictions. The Company further confirms that, other than as disclosed in this news release or other news releases or material change reports filed by the Company since November 14, 2019, being the date of filing of the Company’s unaudited interim financial statements and related filings for the period ended September 30, 2019, there have been no undisclosed material business developments with respect to the Company.

“The Company’s four-phase national COVID-19 testing program utilizing Rapid COVID-19 test kits is underway in the United States and our first patients are expecting test results starting today,” said Steven McAuley, Chairman & CEO of Empower. “The operational processes we have established to manage the patient experience are proving stable and effective, as is the technology workflow that registers a patient, books an appointment and collects payment on the Sun Valley Health website.”

Phase One – Testing in clinics in Arizona, utilizing a patient blood draw by clinic phlebotomists, then samples are sent to our laboratory test partner for analysis, with test results expected within 48 hours. This program is now active and appointment rates are expanding rapidly.

Phase Two – Offering a Rapid COVID-19 antibody test with results in 1-15 minutes. The service will be offered in-clinics using a drive-up service, conducted by Company clinic staff. In addition, an outbound door-step service, to support a variety of consumer, patient and community needs will be offered using certified mobile technicians. The online portal will be open to book appointments commencing May 1, 2020.

Phase Three – Business Employee Testing (BET) programs, offering Rapid COVID-19 testing to businesses on a one-time basis, repeat basis and/or subscription basis, to assist businesses to get back to work safely, will be offered. The Company anticipates phase three services will commence in May 2020.

Phase Four – U.S. nationwide roll-out, offering all phases of Company services, that can be accessed online at Company websites and call centers, to purchase Rapid COVID-19 test kits. The Company anticipates phase four services to commence in Q3 2020.

ABOUT EMPOWER

Empower is a vertically integrated health & wellness brand with a network of corporate and franchised health & wellness clinics in the U.S. The Company is building its first hemp-derived CBD extraction facility and produces its proprietary line of cannabidiol (CBD) based products. The Company is a leading multi-state operator of a network of physician-staffed wellness clinics, focused on helping patients improve and protect their health, through innovative physician recommended treatment options. The Company has commenced activity on how to connect its significant data, to the potential of the efficacy of alternative treatment options related to hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) therapies, psilocybin and other psychedelic plant-based treatment options. The Company now offers COVID-19 testing options in the United States and physician-based consultations, to address COVID-19 concerns.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Steven McAuley
Chief Executive Officer

CONTACTS:

Investors: Steven McAuley
CEO
[email protected]
604-789-2146

Investors: Dustin Klein
SVP, Business Development
720-352-1398
[email protected]

For French inquiries: Remy Scalabrini, Maricom Inc., E: [email protected], T: (888) 585-MARI

DISCLAIMER FOR FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains certain “forward-looking statements” or “forward-looking information” (collectively “forward looking statements”) within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements can frequently be identified by words such as “plans”, “continues”, “expects”, “projects”, “intends”, “believes”, “anticipates”, “estimates”, “may”, “will”, “potential”, “proposed” and other similar words, or information that certain events or conditions “may” or “will” occur. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding: the Company’s expected timing of filing of its Annual Filings, the Company’s intention to create psilocybin and psychedelics divisions, that market research on advancements in psilocybin and psychedelics in North America and globally will create greater shareholder value, the Company’s intention to open a hemp-based CBD extraction facility, the expected benefits to the Company and its shareholders as a result of the proposed acquisitions and partnerships; the effectiveness of the extraction technology; the expected benefits for Empower’s patient base and customers; the benefits of CBD based products; the effect of the approval of the Farm Bill; the growth of the Company’s patient list and that the Company will be positioned to be a market-leading service provider for complex patient requirements in 2019 and beyond; the ability of the Company to complete or execute phases One, Two, Three or Four as noted above, and Psychedelic substances remain illegal in most countries, so please reference your local laws in relation to medical or recreational use. Such statements are only projections, are based on assumptions known to management at this time, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, including; that the Company may not open a hemp-based CBD extraction facility; that legislative changes may have an adverse effect on the Company’s business and product development; that the Company may not be able to obtain adequate financing to pursue its business plan; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; failure to obtain any necessary approvals in connection with the proposed acquisitions and partnerships; and other factors beyond the Company’s control. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements in this release, which are qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. The Company is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements in this release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable laws.

PyroGenesis Successfully Completes First Phase of Torch Modelling Geared to Reducing Greenhouse Gases for Major Iron Ore Pelletization Client $RTN $NOC $UTX $HPQ.ca $DDD.ca $SSYS $PRLB

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 11:44 AM on Thursday, April 30th, 2020
  • Successfully completed the first phase of a multi-phase modeling contract aimed at evaluating the performance of PyroGenesis’ proprietary torches in an existing iron ore industrial furnace with the goal of replacing all existing fossil fuel burners with PyroGenesis’ plasma torches
  • All phases will be completed by the end of Q2 2020
  • Client is a multi-billion-dollar international producer of iron ore pellets, one of the largest in the industry, whose name will remain confidential for competitive reasons
  • Client has over 10 plants each requiring approx. 50 plasma torches
  • Each torch will generate up to $3M of revenue to PyroGenesis

MONTREAL, April 30, 2020 — PyroGenesis Canada Inc. (http://pyrogenesis.com) (TSX-V: PYR) (OTCQB: PYRNF) (FRA: 8PY), a high-tech company, (the “Company”, the “Corporation” or “PyroGenesis”) that designs, develops, manufactures and commercializes plasma atomized metal powder, plasma waste-to-energy systems and plasma torch systems, is pleased to announce today that, further to its press release dated March 4th, 2020, it has successfully completed the first phase (the “First Phase”) of a multi-phase modeling contract aimed at  evaluating the performance of PyroGenesis’ proprietary torches in an existing iron ore industrial furnace with the goal of replacing all existing fossil fuel burners with PyroGenesis’ plasma torches. All phases will be completed by the end of Q2 2020. The client is a multi-billion-dollar international producer of iron ore pellets (the “Client”), one of the largest in the industry, whose name will remain confidential for competitive reasons. The Client has over 10 plants each requiring approx. 50 plasma torches.

This all important First Phase demonstrated that replacing fossil fuel burners with PyroGenesis’ proprietary plasma torch (i) has absolutely no ancillary detrimental effects anywhere in the process or with the furnaces, (ii) results in significant greenhouse gas reduction while at the same time, (iii) projecting significant cost savings.

This contract consists of evaluating the performance of PyroGenesis’ proprietary torches in the Client’s industrial furnace. The First Phase results confirm that replacing fossil fuel burners with PyroGenesis’ proprietary  plasma torches will not have any detrimental effects on the Client’s process or their furnaces and, more importantly, will result  in a CO2 reduction in excess of 350,000 tons per year per plant (which is equivalent to removing 76,000 cars1 from the road), while at the same time projecting significant cost savings.  The Client has over 10 plants, each requiring approx. 50 torches.  Each torch will generate up to $3M of revenue to PyroGenesis. The subsequent modelling phases will further quantify the benefits of transitioning to plasma.  All phases will be completed by the end of Q2, 2020.

“This is a very significant development with a very significant player in the industry,” said Mr. P. Peter Pascali, President and CEO of PyroGenesis. “We have effectively demonstrated that by using our proprietary plasma torch to replace the environmental damaging fossil fuel burners, not only will there be a significant reduction in greenhouse gases but there will also be significant cost savings (avoiding future carbon taxes alone is noteworthy), and all without any detrimental effect anywhere in the process.  How many process changes can boast of that trifecta?”

Pelletization is the process in which iron ore is concentrated before shipment, thus significantly reducing the cost of transportation. In conventional technologies, the process heat is provided by fuel oil or natural gas burners (both environmentally damaging). The combustion, in the burners, of fossil fuels results in the production of greenhouse gases, mainly CO2. Plasma torches, by contrast, utilize renewable electricity and as such offer an environmentally attractive alternative to fossil fuel burners.

“Since our success with RISE, noted in our press release dated March 4th, 2020, most major iron ore pelletization producers have reached out to us, as have several producers from the metallurgical industry,” said Mr. Pascali. “This has resulted in several modelling proposal requests, however, what I find most exciting is that in recent weeks the interest in our torch capabilities has also come to include significant steel producers, and these discussions have been moving forward at a rapid pace as well.  All this interest is from producers that use natural gas and heavy fuel oil burners and want alternatives to help them meet greenhouse gas reduction targets/policies. We find that the proposition to reduce greenhouse gases emissions, and avoid carbon taxes, with a simple bolt-on replacement of their current environmentally damaging fossil fuel burners, is too compelling to resist.  That, combined with the environmental pressure these industries are currently under (only recently a new trend has emerged where financial institutions are tying credit facilities and debt issuances to carbon reduction targets for multi-national industrial and mining conglomerates), has generated a wave of interest and proposals.”

About PyroGenesis Canada Inc.

PyroGenesis Canada Inc., a high-tech company, is the world leader in the design, development, manufacture and commercialization of advanced plasma processes and products. We provide engineering and manufacturing expertise, cutting-edge contract research, as well as turnkey process equipment packages to the defense, metallurgical, mining, advanced materials (including 3D printing), oil & gas, and environmental industries. With a team of experienced engineers, scientists and technicians working out of our Montreal office and our 3,800 m2 manufacturing facility, PyroGenesis maintains its competitive advantage by remaining at the forefront of technology development and commercialization. Our core competencies allow PyroGenesis to lead the way in providing innovative plasma torches, plasma waste processes, high-temperature metallurgical processes, and engineering services to the global marketplace. Our operations are ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100D certified, and have been since 1997. PyroGenesis is a publicly-traded Canadian Corporation on the TSX Venture Exchange (Ticker Symbol: PYR) and on the OTCQB Marketplace. For more information, please visit www.pyrogenesis.com.

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements containing the words “may”, “plan”, “will”, “estimate”, “continue”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “expect”, “in the process” and other similar expressions which constitute “forward- looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements reflect the Corporation’s current expectation and assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, our expectations regarding the acceptance of our products by the market, our strategy to develop new products and enhance the capabilities of existing products, our strategy with respect to research and development, the impact of competitive products and pricing, new product development, and uncertainties related to the regulatory approval process. Such statements reflect the current views of the Corporation with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and other risks detailed from time-to-time in the Corporation’s ongoing filings with the securities regulatory authorities, which filings can be found at www.sedar.com, or at www.otcmarkets.com. Actual results, events, and performance may differ materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The Corporation undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward- looking statements either as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange, its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) nor the OTCQB accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

SOURCE PyroGenesis Canada Inc.

For further information please contact:
Rodayna Kafal, Vice President Investors Relations and Strategic Business Development
Phone: (514) 937-0002, E-mail: [email protected]

Hollister Biosciences $HOLL.ca Closes Acquisition of AlphaMind Brands Inc. $WEED.ca $CGC $ACB $APH $CRON.ca $OGI.ca $FAF.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 8:15 AM on Thursday, April 30th, 2020
  • Company has now closed its acquisition of AlphaMind Brands Inc., a growth stage company, that is developing a portfolio of certified legal mushroom based natural health products
  • Hollister will not be assuming any long-term debt; no new control position will be created and there is no change in management or the Board of Directors of Hollister in connection with the Transaction

VANCOUVER, April 30, 2020 - Hollister Biosciences Inc. (CSE: HOLL, FRANKFURT: HOB, OTC: HSTRF) (the “Company” or “Hollister“) – a diversified cannabis branding company with products in over 220 dispensaries throughout California, is pleased to announce that further to the signing of the definitive agreement, as amended (the “SEA“), the Company has now closed its acquisition of AlphaMind Brands Inc. (“AlphaMind“), a growth stage company, that is developing a portfolio of certified legal mushroom based natural health products (the “Transaction“).

“We are very pleased to close our acquisition of AlphaMind”, shared Carl Saling, Founder and CEO of Hollister.  “It is our continual objective to broaden our product scope and Alphamind, with its experienced management team, is a perfect foothold for us in the fast-growing market for medicinal mushrooms and complements our existing cannabis and hemp-based product offering.  We are excited to bring another promising brand under the Hollister umbrella, especially in such a fast growing and exciting sector.”

“We are very pleased to have closed this transaction”, shared Dr. Nikos C. Apostolopoulos, Chief Product & Research Officer of Alphamind Brands.  “We are looking forward to working with Hollister to build out our medicinal mushroom based product line and conducting further R&D to develop an exciting IP portfolio surrounding psilocybin based pharmaceutical treatments.”

Key Terms of The Transaction

Pursuant to the terms of the SEA, the Company has acquired AlphaMind for consideration of CDN$1,200,000 which is being satisfied by the issuance of 4,200,000 Hollister common shares (the “Payment Shares“) on the Closing Date pro rata to the shareholders of AlphaMind and an additional 1,800,000 common shares (the “Earn-Out Shares“) to be issued pro rata to the former shareholders of AlphaMind on the earlier of (i) AlphaMind meeting certain milestones (detailed below) or (ii) December 31st, 2021.

  • The Payment Shares and the Earn-Out Shares will be issued at a deemed value of $0.20 per share;
  • The Payment Shares are subject to certain voluntary hold periods as follows: 331/3% until May 30th, 2020; an additional 331/3% until June 30th, 2020; and the remaining 331/3% until August 30th, 2020;
  • The Earn-Out Shares will be issued on the earlier of (i) December 31st, 2020, or (ii) upon AlphaMind’s first production run or its first sales of product.

Hollister will not be assuming any long-term debt; no new control position will be created and there is no change in management or the Board of Directors of Hollister in connection with the Transaction.

About AlphaMind Brands Inc.

Alphamind Brands is a Canada and US based growth stage company, that is developing a portfolio of certified legal mushroom based natural health products. It is also actively conducting R&D initiatives, led by Dr. Nikos C. Apostolopoulos, who is exploring psilocybin based pharmaceutical treatments.  The company’s “ready to ship” product SKU’s include Cordyceps, Lion’s Mane, Shiitake, Oyster and Reishi Mushroom based: liquid tinctures, concentrated mushroom powder(s), teas, and chocolate. 

About Hollister Biosciences Inc.

Hollister Biosciences Inc. is a multi-state cannabis company with a vision to be the sought-after premium brand portfolio of innovative, high-quality cannabis & hemp products. Hollister uses a high margin model, controlling the whole process from manufacture to sales to distribution or seed to shelf. Products from Hollister Biosciences Inc. include HashBone, the brand’s premier artisanal hash-infused pre-roll, along with concentrates (shatter, budder, crumble), distillates, solvent-free bubble hash, pre-packaged flower, pre-rolls, tinctures, vape products, and full-spectrum high CBD pet tinctures. Hollister Cannabis Co. additionally offers white-labeling manufacturing of cannabis products.  Our wholly-owned California subsidiary Hollister Cannabis Co is the 1st state and locally licensed cannabis company in the city of Hollister, CA birthplace of the “American Biker”.

Website: www.hollistercannabisco.com

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

“Carl Saling”

CEO and Director

The CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

The CSE has not in any way passed upon the merits of the Transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.

The securities to be issued in connection with the Transaction have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act“), or under any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, or delivered within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy such securities in the United States.

This news release may include forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements within, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward looking. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such statements will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required under the applicable laws.

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hollister-biosciences-closes-acquisition-of-alphamind-brands-inc-301049911.html

Toddler Meal Ideas for Picky Eaters – SPONSOR: Else Nutrition $BABY.ca $MAT $KMB $BMY $ABT $WYE

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 5:07 PM on Wednesday, April 29th, 2020

SPONSOR: Else Nutrition Holdings Inc. (TSX-V: BABY)The award winning, plant-based nutrition company for small cap investors. The company has a $10,000,000 cash balance for US product launch In Q2 2020 with International agreements in Q3. Learn More

Toddler Meal Ideas for Picky Eaters

By Nicole Silber, RD, CSP, CLC

Children undergo more changes to their growth, development and eating patterns in the years between birth and preschool than any other time in their lives. When babies turn into toddlers, their relatively consistent, predictable eating becomes very inconsistent, paving the way for what many parents would describe as picky eating.

Many parents are concerned with how their toddlers eat (and don’t eat for that matter). What we do know from the Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study (FITS) is that many toddlers and preschoolers eat too much sodium and saturated fat, and not enough key nutrients like potassium, Vitamin D and fiber. But, some of the concerns that I hear from parents regarding their toddlers’ eating stem from a gap in knowing just how much healthy toddlers actually need, and what are normal versus problematic eating behaviors. These concerns usually lead to mealtime tensions, which can perpetuate the picky eating cycle.

Understanding the Needs for Toddler Meals

Understanding what is normal can be very helpful for parents.  Expect toddler meals to be consistently inconsistent – meaning they may skip occasional meals (yes, that means eat a few bites, or nothing), show fluctuating appetites daily based on changing growth needs (meaning when they’re going through a growth spurt they eat much more), and refuse foods one day that they gobbled up the day before. Their willingness to eat at meals may be affected by too much snacking (or grazing), fear of new foods that suddenly develop, or any minor discomfort from teething, a cold or even constipation can impact their willingness to put certain foods, textures and flavors into their mouths. And as a reminder, toddlers are much smaller than adults, so they do not need adult-like portions. For example, healthy toddlers need just 1 cup of veggies each day, so if that’s broken up into 2 meals and a snack that can be just 1/3 of a cup per sitting.  One day they may eat double that, and the next eat none, so look at the average.

Managing expectations can help relieve some parental stress and make way for more positive mealtime environments.  Pushing too hard, trying to convince, sneaking foods, accommodating requests (going to the kitchen and making 3 different dinners), offering bribes to finish the broccoli (yes, we’ve all been there) are all tempting, but can create power struggles that actually intensify the feeding refusals. But, there are some productive things that parents can do to encourage more variety with picky eaters, and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) offers some great tips, like including children in cooking, encouraging family meals, and offering foods repeatedly and in flavorful ways.

Supplementing Toddler Meal Ideas With Something Else

While it’s developmentally normal for toddlers to go through some picky eating phases, some children, and parents alike, struggle to eat balanced, varied meals. And, for children who have any major diet restrictions because of allergies, medical or other lifestyle reasons, they are at higher risk for nutritional deficiencies during times of picky eating. That is when a fortified toddler nutrition drink, like Else, can be a great supplement to their diets. Else complete plant-based toddler meals can help in 2 ways: A more direct benefit is that Else provides these children with an extra boost of calories, fat (particularly unsaturated fat), protein, fiber, omega 3s and many key vitamins and minerals, like iron, potassium, vitamin D needed to support this time of rapid growth. And, Else can provide parents with the reassurance that their little ones are getting the nutrients they need. This reassurance can minimize the stress and pressure placed by parents and felt by kids at mealtimes, which can ultimately encourage more relaxed, varied eating.

Source: https://elsenutrition.com/blogs/news/easy-toddler-meal-ideas-for-picky-eaters

Is #Covid19 an opportunity for #Esports to go mainstream? – SPONSOR Esports Entertainment Group $GMBL $TECHF $ATVI $TTWO $GAME $EPY.ca $FDM.ca $TNA.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 4:48 PM on Wednesday, April 29th, 2020

SPONSOR: Esports Entertainment Group (GMBL:NASDAQ) – Millions of people from around the world tune in to watch teams of video game players compete with each other. In first quarter 2020, YouTube reported 1.1 billion hours watched, an increase of 13% when compared to fourth quarter 2019. Wagering on Esports is projected to hit $23 BILLION this year although that number will likely be eclipsed due to the recent pandemic. Esports Entertainment Group is the next generation online gambling company designed for the purpose of facilitating as much of this wagering as possible.  LEARN MORE.

Is Covid-19 an opportunity for esports to go mainstream?

  • Even though the traditional sports industry has a forecast value of $614 billion in 2022, TV audiences are increasingly dwindling
  • With most eSports largely free to view for fans, is this now an opportunity to push that growth forecast of $180 billion to something even more ambitious?

By: John Griffiths

The current global health crisis caused by the Covid-19 virus has had a major impact on almost every country, industry and person globally. One industry, among many, that has come to a complete halt is sports. Most major sports have either halted, postponed or cancelled their season. Even the pinnacle of global sport, the Olympic Games, has been postponed until 2021.

At a time when the vast majority of the population is confined to their homes, watching live sport on TV would have been a very pleasurable way to while away the extra hours saved on the daily commute. Alas, with all sport cancelled, aside from a few repeats of classic matches or races, there is a void for sports fans.

Is this an opportunity for eSports and online gaming to become more mainstream?

Creating an engaging experience

Whether we are talking football (all forms), F1, basketball, boxing or golf, there are competitions that can be organised and run with real players but using digital balls, clubs and cars. There is still competition, strategy, jeopardy and tension to create fan engagement and excitement. There are also lower costs, far fewer safety issues but also a lack of physicality and combative (non-violent of course) player interaction. Yes, some things are taken away from the real world versions and it’s a different experience, but presented well it can still be an engaging sporting experience.

However, there is another category of eSports or online gaming that for huge swathes of older sports fans has utterly passed them by. We are talking Fortnite, PUBG, League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) to name a few. In the past few years, these games have grown massively around the world and many now hold competitions offering millions of dollars in prize money and attracting audiences of tens of thousands to live events and millions online.

There are star players with huge online followings, PewDiePie with over 100million YouTube and 20 million Instagram followers or Ninja with 23 million YouTube, 15 million Instagram and 14 million Twitch subscribers, for example. Then there are the well organised and well-funded teams such as Team Liquid and OG, training and competing to win these significant prizes. They have major household names as their sponsors, and each have racked up over $30million dollars in prize money alone so far. These players and teams are not teenage geeks in their bedrooms. They are highly skilled professionals running significant operations that easily match the complexity and scale of all but the largest of traditional sports teams.

Aiming high

Unlike traditional sports, these new online gaming environments are not tied down with huge legacy infrastructure, traditionalism and – in too many cases – vested interests and corruption. Despite the market forecast for the gaming industry set to be worth $180 billion in 2021 and almost all the top games and streaming platforms being owned by a small number of large corporations including Amazon, Microsoft, Google and Tencent, they have allowed and supported the games developers and players to lead the direction of development. At the moment, many are adopting a considerably more bottom-up rather than top-down driven approach to the development of their sports.

Even though the traditional sports industry has a forecast value of $614 billion in 2022, TV audiences are increasingly dwindling. This is largely driven by more and more sports appearing on Pay TV and behind a paywall. Subscribers are voting with their dollars and choosing not subscribe and pay to watch, as observed with F1 last year.

With most eSports largely free to view for fans, is this now an opportunity to push that growth forecast of $180 billion to something even more ambitious? After all, most traditional sports have really only grown their value in the last 20 or 30 years with the growth of Pay TV, and if subscribers are turning away at the increased cost but still crave competition and excitement, why shouldn’t eSports fill the gap?

Finding a way to bring this traditional TV audience online with ease of use and a great user experience that is a little TV-like in terms of browsing and discovering content is key. Apps on smart TVs and casting from mobile to TV is probably one way forward and will avoid the TV tax and the enforcement of paywalls. The right marketing and communications plan and key partnerships will be important to reach this new audience.

Whilst we hope the world does not see another global crisis like Covid-19, it may just present an opportunity for eSports to accelerate its growth and find a new audience. An audience that hopefully will see the excitement, exhilaration and enjoyment that younger audiences have enjoyed and nurtured for the last decade or so and that, with that that bit more spending power, will drive harder and faster the growth of eSports.

Source: https://www.v-net.tv/2020/04/29/is-covid-19-an-opportunity-for-esports-to-go-mainstream/

Discovering the Benefits of CBD Oil SPONSOR: Mota Ventures $MOTA.ca $APH.ca $GBLX $PFE $ACG.ca $ACB.ca $WEED.ca $HIP.ca $WMD.ca $CGRW

Posted by AGORACOM at 2:25 PM on Wednesday, April 29th, 2020

SPONSOR: Mota is seeking to become a vertically integrated global CBD brand. Mota is creating sales channels and a distribution network internationally through the acquisition of the Sativida and First Class CBD brands. Low cost production, coupled with international, direct to customer sales channels will provide the foundation for the success of Mota. Combined total sales of almost $29,000,000 with a EBITDA of approximately 12.5% (2019) . Click Here for More Info

Mota large

CBD oil is increasingly acclaimed for its benefits. Use as an e-liquid for vaping, but also as a dietary supplement to fight against stress or depression, CBD is everywhere.

Find out what its benefits are, how to consume it, and where to find it.

With some of the best online suppliers in Europe, British users can now easily find and order CBD flowers in UK. It has simplified the way to purchase high-quality CBD online, and we can now enjoy the best CBD oils.

What is CBD oil?

CBD, or cannabidiol, is part of the family of cannabinoids, a group of molecules found in the hemp plant, such as THC or CBD. We all have so-called cannabinoid receptors in our brains, which explains why these compounds have a more or less significant impact on the human nervous system.

CBD oil is extracted from the cannabis plant. It contains mostly cannabidiol, the concentration of which varies depending on the product. Today it is mainly used as an e-liquid for electronic cigarettes, as CBD oil to add in food and drinks, and CBD capsules.

While the hemp plant has been cultivated for over 6.000 years in China, it is only today that CBD oil is becoming more and more popular, as scientists discover many benefits for our organism. Indeed, unlike THC, another cannabinoid, CBD does not have psychotropic properties. For this reason, cannabidiol is also called “therapeutic cannabis”!

What are the effects of CBD oil?

Unlike THC, the effects of CBD oil are not harmful to our nervous system. CBD does not cause a feeling of intoxication or euphoria, unlike THC, and therefore no loss of control.

Conversely, it offers a feeling of serenity and a sense of relaxation. CBD is also found in recognized drugs like Cannador, Sativex, or Epidiolex.

To start with, CBD oil can help you fall asleep. If it does not have the effect of a sleeping pill, it will, however, cause your body to relax to promote falling asleep indirectly.

Likewise, CBD oil can help you not only to combat stress but also to regulate your mood. Indeed, CBD acts in particular on receptors linked to anxiety. For this reason, it is reputed to be a powerful anxiolytic and is effective in treating depression.

Note that paradoxically, CBD oil can help you fight against drug addiction since it will promote emotional balance while helping you overcome anxiety and stress, often overwhelming during withdrawal.

Finally, CBD oil can be used as an anti-inflammatory, especially in the case of Crohn’s disease, a chronic inflammatory disease of the digestive system.

How should you use CBD oil?

CBD oil is consumed orally, by placing 1 to 2 drops on your tongue or by adding them to your food or drink. The bottles sold are therefore often equipped with a pipette. After swallowing the CBD oil drops, leave it on for 30 seconds before continuing to eat or keep busy.

Please note, it is essential not to exceed 3 doses per day. If you take too much CBD oil, you risk increasing the relaxing effects and wanting to sleep! The ideal is to start with a low dosage and increase it gradually if you support it.

Also, CBD oil is not recommended for pregnant women.

Is CBD oil legal in the UK?

Cannabis derivatives do not have an outstanding reputation, in particular, because of THC, the compound which has psychotropic effects. European legislation is therefore relatively strict with cannabidiol. For example, any product containing THC is prohibited if the THC level exceeds 0.2 %.

However, products from Cannabis sativa seeds and stems are not prohibited in the UK, which explains why most of the CBD oils currently on sale come from them. Despite everything, CBD oil remains banned for minors. No law has been enacted regarding CBD oil, but case law prevails until European law issues an opinion on the subject, not always in a pleasant manner!

Where to buy CBD oil?

CBD-based products are very numerous: crystals (the purest form) for culinary preparations or other uses of this type, oil, e-liquid for electronic cigarettes, CBD flowers, CBD resins, etc. You will, therefore, have no harm to find CBD for your consumption.

On the Internet, you will mainly find CBD oil, as on the online store. You will find a whole lot of websites that are claiming to sell the best CBD products. However, you should only buy the best quality of CBD flowers and CBD oils.

Check websites such as Justbob.shop to find the right CBD products. As a leading company in Europe, this supplier from Italy is offering natural CBD flowers and great CBD oils. Also, they are following a set of many quality controls, and they are recognized by the Italian authorities, which means that they are well-known and that they are complying with local and European laws.

Source: London Loves Business

https://londonlovesbusiness.com/discovering-the-benefits-of-cbd-oil/

Scotiabank’s Metals Business Closure Could Impact Daily Gold Price Discovery SPONSOR: Labrador Gold $LAB.ca $RIO.ca $WHM.ca $SIC.ca $NXS.ca

Posted by AGORACOM at 11:03 AM on Wednesday, April 29th, 2020

SPONSOR: Labrador Gold – Two successful gold explorers lead the way in the Labrador gold rush targeting the under-explored gold potential of the province. Exploration has already outlined district scale gold on two projects, including a 40km strike length of the Florence Lake greenstone belt, one of two greenstone belts covered by the Hopedale Project. Recently acquired 14km of the potential extension of the new discovery by New Found Gold’s Queensway project to the south. Click Here for More Info

  • We were already having a tough time getting the amount of physical that we require. I think it’s going to be that much harder – Sprott Inc CEO Peter Grosskopf

(Kitco News) Turbulent times of first trying to sell, then downsizing its bullion desk, Canadian Bank of Nova Scotia (Scotiabank) (TSX: BNS.TO) now appears to be closing its metals business, according to Reuters. 

Reports came to light on Tuesday with Reuters citing two sources familiar with the matter. “Scotia had a global call with all its metals staff and said it was shutting down its metals business,” one source said. “The plan is to unwind the metals business,” said another one.

The goal is to reportedly wind down all existing metals business by the beginning of 2021, the sources added.

The move could mean more challenges for the gold market that has already seen a supply crunch and wide price spreads between spot and futures prices, analysts told Kitco News. 

“The Scotiabank shuttering of its metals business is a sign of these historic times of markets upheaval. However, such is not a shock to the metals marketplace that has in recent weeks already seen many companies and mines so severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Kitco’s senior technical analyst Jim Wyckoff. 

“From my perspective the Comex futures market has at least temporarily overshadowed the spot, or cash, gold market in terms of accurate daily price discovery, given the significant slowing of spot business and spot market-making. Thus, the gold market from a price perspective will take this news in stride,” Wyckoff noted.

One fear is that spot prices could become less reliable, which could be a a big hit for the gold market that has already been struggling with a wide spread between spot and futures prices due to all the logistical issues connected with all the COVID-19 shutdowns. 

“It definitely will have an effect on price discovery. The less big banks that are participating in the metals markets, the less reliable those prices coming out of London will be, which we’ve already seen has been a problem in the past couple of weeks,” Gainesville Coins precious metals expert Everett Millman told Kitco News on Tuesday. 

The problem could be made worse if more banks like this close their bullion businesses, Millman added. “A lot of people are worried that Scotiabank is just going to be the first of many banks right now to kind of exit the metals business. We have to see if there’s a domino effect that exacerbates the problem,” he said.  

Another area of concern is some disruption on the client inter-phase side, said Kitco Metals global trading director Peter Hug.

“I would imagine Scotia has financing projects/lease agreements, metals accounts for their clients, as well as inventory financing deals with dealers. Scotia, I assume will attempt to sell these deals or handle them to maturity … Clients that may need new credit facilities, with other bullion banks or mines that have financing in place may be a bit nervous and are likely already looking for new options,” Hug said. 

The news of Scotiabank winding down its bullion desk might also add pressure to the supply side, said Sprott Inc CEO Peter Grosskopf. 

“We were already having a tough time getting the amount of physical that we require. I think it’s going to be that much harder,” said Grosskopf. “It’s almost the opposite of what’s happening in the oil market right now.” 

Other analysts said they believe that the nature of the physical market is not going to change.

RBC Wealth Management managing director George Gero said that the spot price was never really reliable because “it is not liquid and it is full cash, there is no margin.”

“Lately I’ve seen a number of banks move their trading departments or close their trading departments. A lot of it has to do with other things like Brexit. The problem of the traders all having to work remote from home,” Gero added. 

The character of investments has also been changing, he noted. “The problem with the trading of the gold is that it’s just changed a lot. But it will not affect anything because you have more central bank business and traditionally the central bank business is in the spot market.”

Back in 2017, Scotiabank tried to sell ScotiaMocatta, the world’s oldest gold trader owned by Scotiabank.

Unable to finalize the sale, however, Scotiabank ended up keeping its precious metals trading business but downsizing it at the beginning of 2018.

Only around 15 people currently work in Scotia’s metals business, Reuters said. Seventy-five percent of the employees are on the precious metals side and the rest are on the industrial metals side. Just five years ago, the unit had about 140 employees with offices across the world.

ScotiaMocatta’s history goes all the way back to 1600s when Moses Mocatta partnered with the East India Co. to ship gold to India. The operations were set up in London in 1684. In 1997, Scotiabank acquired Mocatta Bullion by purchasing it from Standard Chartered.

Source:https://www.kitco.com/news/2020-04-28/Scotiabank-s-metals-business-closure-could-impact-daily-gold-price-discovery-analysts.html

By Anna Golubova